Second Chance
by Marianne H. Stillie
Summary: For Jake and Heather, a second chance in their postApocalypse world is a special gift.


Title: Second Chance

Author: Marianne H. Stillie

Categories: Romance

Rating: M

Pairing: Jake & Heather

Season: Season 1 – 2 time frame

Sequel To: Too Late; Choices

Summary: For Jake and Heather, a second chance in their post-Apocalypse world is a special gift.

Warning: Mild sexual content

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and places for Jericho are the property of Junction Entertainment, Fixed Mark Productions and CBS/Paramount Television. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment, not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks are intended. Previously unrecognized characters, places and this story are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Archive: Please do not archive anywhere without the author's permission.

Copyright (c) 2007 Marianne H. Stillie

* * *

Second Chance

As Camp Liberty came into sight, Jake steadily eased up on the accelerator. He'd been in enough war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years to know that to a nervous or trigger-happy sentry, a speeding car meant shoot first and ask questions later. That this was neighboring Nebraska didn't mean squat since the bombs.

He stopped at the guard post and made sure his empty hands could be clearly seen by the sentries. "I'm Jake Green from Jericho, Kansas. I have paperwork from Major Beck giving me permission to pick up one of our citizens who's a patient in your infirmary."

"Let's see," a sergeant, who looked to be about Jake's age, motioned with his hand while the young corporal a few feet away kept his M16 carefully trained on Jake's chest.

After quickly scanning the single piece of paper, he turned to the corporal. "Notify Colonel Hoffman about this." Turning to Jake, he handed the paper back to him. "The infirmary is over there," he said pointing. "The colonel will meet you at the door."

"Thanks." As he shifted out of park, Jake swore silently to himself. The colonel he was going to meet was the one who had arbitrarily decided it wasn't important to notify anyone in Jericho that Heather was alive and in their camp. His latest confrontation with Major Beck, commander of the rescue force, after he'd read Heather's letter, hadn't been one of his finer moments.

By the time Jake moved the beaten-up, unmarked late model Range Rover that Jonah had provided him with to the other side of the camp where the infirmary was, Colonel Hoffman was waiting at the closed door.

The colonel extended his hand, "Good to meet you, Mr. Green. Major Beck has told me a great deal about you and your town. I wasn't expecting anyone to come for Miss Lisinski so soon. We would have repatriated her in due course, once her injuries were healed."

Jake returned the formal gesture, barely resisting the urge to tighten the handshake when he heard the word 'injuries'. This reminder of what Heather had been through added more fuel to his existing anger. "We thought Heather had been killed in New Bern. Now that she's free, we want her home. How serious are her injuries? Can she be moved?" he said, keeping his voice carefully under control.

"Nothing rest and time won't heal. I understand how important she is to Jericho after everything your people have suffered," he said with an ingratiating smile.

"Does she know I was coming to get her?"

"The roads between here and Kansas can be treacherous. I wanted to make sure someone arrived safely before I got her hopes up. She's been as anxious to get back to Jericho as you are to take her there."

Keeping his personal feelings to himself, Jake nodded curtly.

Colonel Hoffman opened the infirmary door and Jake went in. His eyes quickly adjusted from the bright sunlight to the dim interior. He saw Heather seated on a cot, her back to them, the sole occupant of the large room.

Her head turned when Colonel Hoffman said, "You have a visitor, Miss Lisinski."

Recognition came into her eyes and she was on her feet and running into Jake's arms. "I was so afraid you wouldn't get my letter," her trembling voice said against his cheek.

Jake couldn't think of anything non-personal to say with the colonel standing there so he just held her.

With a short laugh, Colonel Hoffman started out of the infirmary. "Have a safe trip back to Jericho."

* * *

It was easy to retrace this most recent part of the very carefully drawn directions on the map Jonah had provided. Jake had always known Em's father had a network of connections outside Jericho from the years he'd worked for him. That they extended to the military and had continued even after the bombs, was something he knew better than to ask about when he'd picked up the fully stocked and heavily armed car Jonah had loaned him.

Heather had been unusually quiet as the camp became a distant speck. When she finally began talking, he relaxed and took pleasure in her sweet voice. The nearness of the real sound was so much more soothing than it had been in his dreams.

"There wasn't much to do at Camp Liberty except worry about you and Jericho."

With a soft laugh, Jake said, "You were worried about me? After everything you've been through in New Bern?"

Her voice teary, she continued, "I was so afraid I'd get back to Jericho and find you'd been killed in the battle."

"Bad pennies always survive," he teased, trying to ease the anxiety he heard in her voice.

Ignoring his self-deprecating comment, she said softly, "They told me about your dad. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

"Not your fault. And it works both ways."

"Not your fault."

Even with Heather sitting beside him safe and alive, Jake's still fresh grief began to come through in his voice, "They told us you were dead."

"How did that go over in Jericho?"

The last of the light mood he'd tried to sustain disappeared and he answered, "Remind me to tell you about the four jars of Bailey's Best I downed in one afternoon when I thought I'd lost you."

"Really?" she said innocently.

"Really."

Jake was both surprised and pleased when the usually shy woman beside him rested her head against his arm and laid her hand gently on his thigh. The drive back home now didn't seem as difficult as the one he'd started out on toward Nebraska early this morning.

* * *

Over the next hours, the miles going south slipped by as they exchanged catch-up stories. Neither held back with the hard and painful details, of her imprisonment in New Bern and almost fatal escape, his part in each phase of the battle including his father's death, and the arrival of the Camp Liberty choppers and troops.

At that point in their narratives, Jake took over and brought her up to speed about his growing apprehension that Jericho was being occupied for the long term. He confided to her that his first conversation with Major Beck had been more like an inquisition. Jake kept two critical pieces of information from her: the true status Rob Hawkins held in the bombings scenario and Jonah's theft of the New Bern mortars and launchers. It was safer that she didn't know the former facts. The latter incident would hit too close to the traumas she'd suffered and would only make her worry more. He was already worried about the location of those armaments enough for both of them.

Jake slowed the vehicle and said, "Heather, I need to make a pit stop." He parked several yards in from the almost invisible back road. Handing her the keys, he added, "There's a cooler in the back with sandwiches and drinks."

As they walked to the back of the SUV, Jake reached into his jacket pocket and removed a pistol. He held it out to Heather. "Just in case."

Without a word, she took the gun and let her arm drop to her side. "Don't fall in," she teased.

His laugh as he walked away from her was filled with admiration for the steady self-assurance he was seeing in the relatively sheltered woman he'd met a few short months ago. That she was still capable of the gentle humor he enjoyed from her despite the danger and violence she'd experienced brought another spot of healing to his damaged heart.

* * *

Comfortably settled on the tailgate of the SUV eating a sandwich and with the gun right beside her, Heather called to Jake as he approached, "What's your pleasure, Mr. Green, tuna, egg salad or baloney?"

"No liverwurst? My mom's slipping," he laughed as he reached into the cooler for a bottle of water. He sat beside her, retrieving the gun and slipping it back into his jacket.

With a smile, Heather handed him a wrapped sandwich. "I thought you'd be a tuna guy."

"Right now, I'll take anything. I'm starved." After three ravenous bites and hearty swallows, he added, "Whatever my mom cooks is great."

"You are so easy, Jake Green," she laughed then quickly added, "about food anyway."

Jake's eyes met hers as he took a long drink from the water bottle. "I wasn't so easy in those weeks before you left for New Bern. I'm sorry I pushed you away, Heather. It was the wrong thing to do."

"I understand. Emily had first rights on you, and I was foolish to think I had a chance."

"No! That's not it!"

"Jake, I heard about the dance between the two of you at Bailey's the night the refugees arrived."

"Small towns and big mouths. Some things never change in Jericho," he said angrily. After a few moments of silence between them, Jake went on, "Sometimes I'm not too smart with my decisions, especially when my past controls my thinking. I backed off after our kiss because there's so much you don't know about me, and it's far more than what happened in Jericho five years ago."

Heather's hand covered Jake's as he tensely gripped the water bottle. It reminded him of the calming touch she'd given him that day they were scrambling to find shelter from the fallout.

"Whenever you're ready to talk, I'll be ready to listen."

"My dad said the same thing," he whispered sadly.

"And did you? Have the conversation, I mean?"

"Yes, and much more." He shifted his body so that he was facing her. "He talked about you and how much you reminded him of my mother, feisty, tough and stubborn as hell. He admired your courage and said if I was smart, I'd do some kissing of my own as soon as you got back."

Seeing the tears starting in her loving blue eyes, Jake put his arms around Heather and pulled her close. Against her hair, he whispered, "Emily is pregnant with Roger's baby. We'll always be friends, but the past is just the past and it's over between us. Do you believe me?"

"Yes."

"Good, because I'm too tired to do anything except this," and he leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers.

Their mouths held and lingered, softly and gently for long moments. The emotions behind this kiss were more intimate and deeper than those each had felt all those months ago. When their lips parted, their arms stayed in place around each other.

Heather reached up and caressed Jake's cheek. "When was the last time you slept? I mean, really slept?"

"It's been days."

"Why don't you get in the back and curl up in one of those nice comfortable sleeping bags for a few hours. I'll drive."

"No. This route is very complicated, and way too risky. I'll be fine."

"Not to be negative or distrusting, Jake, but I really don't want to be in another car accident. How about we pull off the road somewhere after dark, you get some sleep while I stand guard? Once the sun's up, you can drive again and I'll sleep. Sound like a plan?"

Jake caressed her cheek, running his thumb slowly across her lips and down to her chin. "We make a good team." Kissing her again, he said, "We're burnin' daylight here, teacher. We can catch up some more after dark."

"Does that include more of your hugs and kisses? I really want to catch up on those."

Both of them laughing, they finished their food then were back on the road headed toward Kansas.

* * *

The sky was steadily turning to dusk. Jake could feel his exhaustion taking over more with each new mile south. When Heather spoke, he struggled to comprehend her words.

"Jake, please slow down," she said calmly.

His foot eased up on the gas pedal and he asked, "What's wrong?" When he saw her break into a big smile his concern lessened.

"That's it!"

He brought the SUV to a full stop. "What?"

Heather pointed out the windshield to a faded sign barely hanging on twin poles by the roadside. "The Starlight Motel and Trailer Camp."

Shifting gears into park, he rested his head back and closed his eyes, hoping to regain some focus and concentration. He opened his eyes again then turned to Heather. "This had better be good, teacher."

With a soft laugh, she explained, "The summer I was ten, Ted's family and mine went on a road trip to Yellowstone. Our moms mapped out the route, marking all the best rest stops along the way. We stayed at this one, both coming and going. The cabins were clean with indoor plumbing, and lots of friendly people around to socialize with. It was great!"

"That was a long time ago, before the bombs," he said in his most skeptical tone.

Heather's smile became less bright along with her nostalgic enthusiasm. "I know, but even if it's a wreck, it's a good place to stop." She took his right hand in hers and brushed the rough knuckles along her cheek. "It's getting late, and you promised me you'd get some sleep."

Exhaling heavily, Jake brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "Okay." Putting the car back in gear, he made the left onto the overgrown gravel road.

* * *

The once-populated motel and campground wasn't quite a total wreck. It was deserted and neglected after months of being stripped of just about everything that could be of use or value in the post-Apocalypse.

They did find one cabin with its windows and door still intact. As Jake slowly opened the wooden door with its peeling paint, he said, "I hope you're not afraid of wildlife, teacher."

"Just the two-legged kind."

Sensing that Heather's answer was only partly in jest, Jake didn't say anything. Despite her sincere attempt at chronicling her time in New Bern, he knew from Eric that she had left some things out. He hoped that in time she would feel safe enough with him to talk about all of it.

The last daylight from outside revealed two pieces of furniture that had been left in place along with a thick layer of dust and generous decorations of cobwebs.

"The bugs shall inherit the Earth," he mumbled as he inspected the small bathroom. "What do you think?"

"I can cover the mattress with the sleeping bags. Any chance the pump is still working? I don't know about you, but I'd really like to get cleaned up."

"I saw a big building further back on the property. Could be a generator and equipment shed. I'll check. Or would you like to do the tinkering?" he teased.

"Not this time. I'll battle the cobwebs," she answered, pointing around the room.

Jake stood there, staring at Heather, not sure if he should respond to her comment about the bed. Her open and inviting closeness toward him since they'd left the military camp was far more than he'd expected considering their long separation. After everything she'd been through, she was looking to him for protection and safety. The words of love in her letter might have come from her past fear and insecurity. He knew those feelings well and didn't want to take advantage of her vulnerability.

He erred on the side of caution and said, "You can have the bed. I'll set up a sleeping bag for myself on the floor." He saw her mouth go into the same flirty smile from their good-bye the night she left for New Bern.

"I trust you to be a perfect gentleman, Jake Green."

He laughed roughly, "You have more confidence in my self-control than I do. I'm tired, but I'm not dead, Heather Lisinski."

They continued standing on opposite sides of the small room, staring at each other, half smiling and not saying a word.

Jake moved first, crossing to the open door beside Heather. "I'll check on the water situation," he said quickly, knowing he needed to put some distance between them for the moment.

Heather put one hand on his chest and held out the other. "Keys?"

With one of his best smirks, Jake dropped them into her palm then went out the door.

* * *

Heather knew what was going to happen tonight. Her practical, scientific mind had been taking increasing emotional detours since the day she'd met Jake Green. Despite the gap of time and events that had come between them, she was sure they were destined to become lovers before they returned to Jericho.

As she went about cleaning up the room and unloading what they needed for the night from the SUV, her analytical mind tried to keep pace with the growing need her body was experiencing. She was an educated woman, well into her twenties and should be able to objectively deal with her desire for a man. It had never been a problem before. Of course, she'd never had a long term serious relationship. And none of the handful of guys she'd dated was anything like Jake.

She'd had more than enough time to question her attraction to him. All the usual soap opera melodrama definitions and descriptions were dragged out, put to the test and finally rejected. He was different, and she wanted him. It was as simple as first love and raging hormones, and as complicated as the intricacy of their personalities and how they'd had to deal with the reality of the revamped country they were trying to survive in. Even though it was the perfect formula for running like hell, she was ready to jump into the fire with him, here, now and forever.

Again, the still rational part of her brain was arguing against her purely romantic decision. What kept her choice on course, as much as the proximity of the man himself, were the quiet talks she'd had with his brother during their time in New Bern.

As soon as the Jericho men arrived, Stanley had told her about April's death and the estrangement Eric's relationship with Mary had caused between him and his mother. She had easily seen his fragile emotions, so evident on his face and in his silence. That's why she'd been surprised when the usually taciturn younger brother had brought up the subject of his older brother so easily.

Eric had gotten into the subject of Jake gradually over several evenings, after they'd had the sparse dinners the New Berners were able to supply. The labor involved in building the mechanical governors and wind turbines during the day had been complex work but not too physically taxing. She knew Eric needed to talk, and didn't mind listening to his stories about the Green family. What she learned from him about Jake was far different from the little Emily had shared with her.

The biggest surprise had been Eric's blunt description of Jake and Emily's old relationship as destructively volatile and negative. He'd been glad to see his brother take an interest in her since he'd come back. He freely admitted that despite the past, Jake deserved better. He'd proved himself over and over again since the bombs, always the first to put himself in harm's way. They'd argued and disagreed, but the older brother he knew now was a different man than the one who had left town in disgrace five years before.

Their last conversation before things deteriorated at the factory had been an earnest plea from Eric that she start fighting for Jake as soon as she got back to Jericho. When she declined sighting her friendship with Emily, Eric literally lost his temper. He told her that both he and Mary had been seeing her friend's growing pursuit of Jake since Roger had been forced to leave town. She was still very good at pushing Jake's old buttons from their past. What made it even worse was that she had quickly learned to use his brother's new caring and sense of responsibility to create fresh emotional buttons to push. Their last conversation on the topic had ended with Eric telling her that he didn't want his big brother to make the same mistake he had in marrying the wrong woman. A week later, she and Eric had attempted to blow up the factory and she never had a chance to tell him her decision.

With a deep sigh, Heather looked around the relatively clean room. The bed was covered in the thick sleeping bags she'd found in the back of the SUV. She'd placed two lanterns on the dresser with the cooler in the center. The Starlight cabin was as comfortable as it was going to get under the circumstances.

Jake had been gone for awhile. She debated whether or not to find him and see if she could help. She decided against it when she opened the large duffel bag she'd brought in along with the other things. The two items at the top of the tightly packed bag made her smile. She went into the bathroom and checked the sink and shower. The water that came through at first was murky then gradually cleared. When she tried the hot water and found it working, she knew it was time to clean up and wait for him.

* * *

Heather heard the door creak open. Jake walked into the cabin, his silhouette caught between the full darkness outside and the soft lantern light in the room.

"We lucked out with the water, so you can shower. I checked the campground perimeter. Looks like no one's been here in months so we should be safe for the night," he said in a rush, closing the door behind him.

His stunned expression when he saw her standing on the far side of the bed made Heather think of the term 'a deer caught in the headlights'.

The confidently mature adult woman that had been pulsing through her all that day panicked. Jake's stare was a classic cliché look of male hunger. Nervously she fingered the narrow edging of lace along the neckline of the nightgown she was wearing. "It's not flannel pajamas but…," her voice trailed off as he moved closer to her.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, the hungry look deepening in his fathomless dark brown eyes. With a heavy sigh, the warm look of hunger sparked into the beginnings of a fire as his eyes traveled up and down her body.

Jake shook his head as if he was suddenly coming out of a trance. He took several steps back until he was at the door again.

Afraid to move, Heather asked, "Who packed the duffel bag, Jake?" She hoped her voice didn't sound as jittery as she felt.

His voice husky, he answered, "I asked Mary to put some clothes together for you. Why?"

"I think Eric helped her. There are some clothes in there for you, and these." She held up a small box and threw it to him.

Catching it one-handed, Jake immediately recognized the box. He turned his attention to the floor, trying to avoid Heather's eyes. When he finally looked up at her, she had moved beside him.

"I'm the one who should be blushing, Jake Green, not you," she said in her most soothing voice.

Looking directly at her, he said, "This isn't what I was planning for our first time. I wanted us to do a small, quiet wedding when we got back to Jericho."

Heather smiled tenderly, her anxiety completely gone. "You realize you just proposed."

"I know," he said very seriously. "And your answer?"

"Our world has changed, Jake, and so have we. We have this second chance and I'm never going to let you go again."

He laughed softly, "Is that a yes?"

"Yes!" she said emphatically. Cocking her head to one side, she smiled questioningly, "Now that we're engaged, would it be okay to tell you I love you?"

He touched his forehead to hers then moved back. "I need to get cleaned up." He went to the bed, took out a set of clothes from the duffel bag along with a towel. "You won't fall asleep now, will you?"

"Not a chance," she laughed.

* * *

Hugging her drawn up knees against her body, Heather took in a sharp breath as the bathroom door opened. When she saw Jake, she couldn't help laughing. "I like you better in a towel."

Grinning, he stripped off the tee shirt he'd just put on after his shower, threw it on the floor and knelt in front of her on the bed. "Next time." He gently unwrapped her arms from around her knees then leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her.

She melted into him as his arms enveloped her whole upper body. Their bodies clinging, they slid down until they were lying side by side on the sleeping bags. The tight hug became a slow dance of newly exploring hands, while their mouths experimented with deeper kisses, tasting in places they'd missed before.

Breathlessly breaking apart, they rested their heads closely beside each other.

Her desire spiking, she eagerly pressed against him. "When I was in New Bern, I dreamed about you."

Taking in a startled breath at his body's strong reaction to her closeness, he asked, "What kind of dreams?" Before she could answer, his one hand leisurely began exploring down her throat, pushing aside a thin strap of the nightgown, and freeing her breast to his touch.

She moaned as his mouth replaced his hand on her hot skin. "All the things we should have been doing after our first kiss, talking, laughing, getting to know each other."

His mouth momentarily let go of her nipple. "What else?" he asked. Not waiting for her answer, his mouth went back to her breast while his hand began moving under the bunched-up nightgown.

"This kind of dream," she answered through her heavy breathing. She frantically shifted her body, giving her better access to run hungry kisses down his chest and impatient caresses along his hip. The thick sweatpants he was wearing became an annoying obstacle to her need to feel more of him. She grabbed the fabric tightly in her fingers and pulled.

The ardent touching spawned even heavier kisses bringing on a rush of passion that relentlessly dispersed into freely craving hands and probing mouths. Their totally naked bodies urgently discovered fresh patches of sensitive skin and hard flesh. As the night peacefully drifted on, all the throbbing, delicate places became fully sensitized, ready to explode into intoxicating waves of mutual pleasure.

* * *

In the dim lamplight, Heather searched through the silence for her new lover's steady breathing. Focusing on it, she heard her own heart racing in time with Jake's. Every nerve ending in her body tingled and she wondered if he felt the same. A deeply bereft feeling passed through her as he slowly untangled his body from hers.

He lay beside her and smiled. "I'll be right back."

When Jake came back from the bathroom a few minutes later, he turned off one of the lanterns and got into bed. Heather grabbed him tightly.

"You okay?" he asked, anxious about the sudden tremble he felt flow through her body.

"I'm fine," she answered shakily. "You?" Heather felt Jake shudder at her question.

His sudden agonized voice broke into the expectant silence, "I miss him so much, Heather."

The faint lantern light was enough to make the tears she saw beginning in his eyes glisten. As if his tears were a signal for her to release all the bad she'd kept hidden, she let hers escape and mingle with his. "They hurt me, Jake," she sobbed.

They had been through so much so quickly, with little time to mourn and grieve for the loss of innocence and surety of the world they had known. Despite the new love and joy they'd found with each other that would sustain them in the days ahead, there were good-byes both needed to face, and the best way to do that was here and now in each other's arms.

Tears flowed freely as Jake and Heather comforted each other into the night until sleep finally claimed them.


End file.
